Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at separate stations – Having measuring – testing – or monitoring of system or part
Patent
1996-06-04
1998-05-12
Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at separate stations
Having measuring, testing, or monitoring of system or part
455 677, 455134, 4552264, H04B 1700
Patent
active
057521654
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This application claims benefit of International application PCT/F194/00403, filed Sep. 14, 1994.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method for testing the operation of a radio receiver unit during normal traffic, the receiver unit comprising at least two receivers for diversity reception, and at least two antenna means to allow the receiver unit to receive signals transmitted by a radio transmitter. The method includes the steps of measuring the signal level of the signals received by each receiver, and calculating an average on the basis of the measurements performed. The invention also relates to a receiver unit comprising at least two receivers for diversity reception, at least two antenna means to allow the receiver unit to receive signals transmitted by the radio transmitter, and measuring means for measuring the signal level of the signals received by each receiver and for calculating the average of the measured signal levels for each receiver.
The invention relates particularly to monitoring the operation of a receiver unit at a base station of a cellular radio system. In order that the service level can be kept as high as possible, it is extremely significant to a network operator of a cellular radio system that a damaged receiver is detected as soon as possible.
According to a known method for monitoring the operation of an antenna of a transceiver unit, a predetermined test signal is transmitted to the antenna of the receiver by a test transmitter provided at the receiver, whereafter the signal reflected to the receiver is measured. If the antenna of the receiver unit is damaged, the impedances of the cable and the antenna do not match.
According to another known method, the operation of a receiver unit is monitored by a specific mobile station provided at the base station. According to this method, the network operator makes a call to this mobile station, and the operation of the receiver unit can then be monitored by means of measurements.
The most significant drawback of the known solutions described above is that they are not suitable for continuous automatic monitoring of a receiver unit of a base station as according to them, the network operator must perform special test operations. As a damaged receiver unit is not detected automatically but only after special test operations, it may take rather a long time before a damaged receiver unit of a base station is detected. The receiver unit of the base station may thus be inoperative for rather a long time before the network operator is informed of the malfunction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to obviate the problems described above and to provide a method by which a malfunction in a receiver unit of a base station is detected more easily, rapidly and reliably than before. These objects are achieved with a method according to the invention, which is characterized by indicating an error when the difference between the averages calculated for the different receivers is greater than a predetermined reference value.
The invention also relates to a receiver unit which is characterized by comprising indicator means for indicating an error when the difference between the averages calculated is greater than a predetermined reference value.
The invention is based on the idea that a fault occurring in a receiver unit can be detected more reliably, easily and rapidly than before if the operation of the receiver unit is monitored continuously during its normal operation by comparing the signal levels (RSSI: Received Signal Strength Indicator) of the signals received by the different receivers of the unit. The average RSSI values of the signals received by the different receivers should be very close to each other when the receivers concerned operate normally. When the difference between the averages exceeds a predetermined limit value, an automatic alarm is given to the network operator. The most significant advantage of the method and receiver unit according to the invention is thus that the operation
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patent: 4823398 (1989-04-01), Hashimoto
patent: 5263175 (1993-11-01), Dejmek
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 12, No. 7, E-571, Abstract of JP,A,62-165444 (NEC Corp), 22 Jul. 1987.
Eisenzopf Reinhard J.
Le Thanh
Nokia Telecommunications Oy
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